Los Angeles, CA – Freshman Jazzy Davidson led the No. 16 USC in her first career Big Ten opener, to a 59-50 victory with a big double-double, scoring a season-high 22 points plus 12 rebounds, to end No. 21 Washington 8-game win streak at the Galen Center.
Women of Troy recorded their longest home game winning streak since 1948 with 19 in a row to help their head coach Lindsay Gottlieb become the fastest coach in program history to reach 100 wins out of 138 games.
“As I told them in there, this is a big win,” coach Gottlieb said. “It’s a conference win. It’s a top 25 win. It’s a NCAA tournament team win.”
The low scoring affair was big for both teams coming in on win streaks though neither teams could get much going on offense with the scored tied at halftime 22-22.
“I’m really proud of the way we competed especially the first quarter, though I know that sounds crazy, when to not score for eight and half minutes,” coach Gottlieb said.
Sophomore Guard Kennedy Smith whose struggle on offense hit one of the two triples for the game to give SC their first lead, 17-16 with less than four minutes remaining in the first half, but the momentum booster was short as Washington answered right back to close the half.
“I thought Ken’s leadership, Malia’s leadership, people who could settle us in, did so,” coach Gottlieb said about her team’s early offensive woes.
Davidson extended 6-0 run to 9-0 run after nailing the team’s only other 3-pointer of the game to seal the game as Women of Troy never trailed after midway through the third quarter, 34-27. The lady Huskies kept competing and even went on a 4-0 run to close the quarter, 34-39.
“I thought our defense was elite…they’re [Huskies] really talented,” coach Gottlieb said. “They come in with a lot of actions and movements this Princeton stuff…”
Washington expanded their run with six points, until SC forced a turnover and capitalized with a transition bunny assisted by Davidson to Kennedy Smith. Then Davidson followed with a short fadeaway to push lead back up to five, 51-46.
“I think there are some nights like that,” Davidson said about team’s rollercoaster shooting. “I have full confidence in my teammates to hit those shots and same with myself…I think those shots you make nine out of ten times, you just keep shooting them.”
Sayvia Sellers kept shooting to keep her Huskies team in the game before fouling out and finishing with 20 points on 7-of-23 shooting. Former USC transfer Avery Howell added 16 points and 13 rebounds. Howell received a warm welcome of boos and bumps in game while she picked up a few chippy fouls towards some of her former teammates.
Both teams shot ugly to start the game but USC (7-2) improved to 38% while going 11 of 21 from the charity stripe and 2 of 17 from behind the arc. Washington (8-1) shot 27% (18 of 67) from the field, 6 of 25 (24%) from 3-point range.
The Women of Troy’s four game win streak out of this sixth game homestead, will need this type of momentum and confidence built in their preparation for what could be their toughest home opponent this season, hosting Number one team, UConn on Saturday.
